Colored fountain



Aug. 31, 1954 D. E. KEECH COLORED FOUNTAIN 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 24, 1951 Gm mm Aug. 31, 1954 D E. KEECH COLORED FOUNTAIN 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 24, 1951 m w w m Aug. 31, 1954 D. E. KEECH COLORED FOUNTAIN 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 24, 1951 INVENTOR.

latented Aug. 31, 1954 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to ornamental colored fountains and is an improvement on a colored fountain and method of producing the same, invented by John E. Barber and which is the subject of co-pending application for U. S. Letters Patent Serial No. 252,379, filed October 20, 1951.

The preferred form of fountain disclosed in said Barber application includes nozzle means for discharging a stream of water upwardly in the form of a rapidly rising spiral of water droplets and with successive turns of said spiral stream spaced apart as they travel upwardly, and means for illuminating said rising spiral stream with a repeated pattern of successive rapid fiashes of successively different colored lights in timed relation with the formation of said spiral stream so that each repetition of the illumination of said stream with a flash of each given color finds the turns of said stream disposed approximately in a corresponding series of spaced areas fixed in space, thereby creating in the observer the illusion of viewing simultaneously a series of approximately stationary intertwined differently colored spirals each corresponding in shape to the rapidly moving spiral stream of water actually discharged by said nozzle means. The effect of this is to produce a constantly beautifully multi-colored fountain of inverted conical shape.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a colored fountain advantageously utilizing the principle disclosed by Barber in a sustained pattern of variations of the same.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a colored fountain embodied in a simple unit which includes, in compact assembly, all the elements required for the performance of the fountain excepting electrical switches and controls therefor.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a colored fountian unit capable of throwing a relatively high column of water and embodying means for concentrating a relatively large amount of light in the illumination of the fountain produced thereby.

One of the features previously used in many public fountains has been a tall, vertical column of water in the center of the fountain, and it is another object of the present invention to provide a colored fountain in which a vertical column is produced as one phase of the fountain pattern and having means for converting a vertical column at will to a spiral stream manifesting the brilliant coloring of the Barber fountain and then return the stream again to vertical form as a part of the fountain performance pattern.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a colored fountain having the nozzle mounted on the upper end of a vertical hollow shaft and in which the light filter through which light is shined for illuminating the fountain with successively different colors is disposed concentrically with the nozzle and provided with a plurality of like series of light filter panels to permit the simultaneous delivery of light upwardly through separate spaced areas circumferentially disposed about the axis of the nozzle thereby producing a simple mechanism by which multiple light sources may be constantly employed in the illumination of the fountain.

A yet further object of the invention is to provide a colorde fountain incorporating a plurality of super-imposed light filters mounted concentrically with the nozzle axis and having means for progressing one of said filters relative to the other at a uniform rate whereby the color scheme of said fountain goes through a timed series of changes making up a timed pattern which is uniformly repeated in the operation of said fountain.

A further object of the invention is to provide a colored fountain incorporating a motor having a hollow shaft, the lower end of which extends into and drives a pump and receives water therefrom which is forced upwardly through said shaft and from a nozzle mounted on the upper end of the latter, and in which the light filters are mounted on and driven by said shaft in timed relation with rotation of the latter.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a colored fountain as aforesaid which incorporates means for causing, as a regular part of a performance pattern, a rotation of the color scheme appearing in the fountain either in a clockwise direction or in an anti-clockwise direction.

The manner of accomplishing the foregoing objects as well as further objects and advantages will be made manifest in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical, sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the upper filter disk of the invention. 1

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the lower filter disk of the invention.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, vertical, sectional view of the nozzle of the invention and the control mechanism therefor taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is a horizonal, sectional view taken on the line 'l-7 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal, sectional view taken on the line 88 of Fig. 5 and illustrating the filter disk progressor mechanism.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged, vertical, sectional View of the filter disks and the drive mechanism therefor and is taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 10 is a horizontal, sectional View taken on the line I 0l E! of Fig. 9 and progressively broken away to illustrate the filter drive mechanism at various levels therein.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged, vertical, sectional View of the pump of the invention and is taken on the line ll-l| of Fig. 2.

Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic, vertical, sectional view of the colored fountain unit shown in Figs. 1 and 2 mounted in a masonry fountain base, and showing a vertical column of water approximately40 ft. high being emitted from said unit.

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 12. and illustrating a rising spiral stream of water droplets into which said vertical stream has been converted by the operation of the invention.

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 13 and illustrates the illusion created in the observer by the illumination of the spiral stream shown in Fig. 13 by light shined upwardly through said filter disks.

Fig. 15 is a diagram of the two filter disks of the invention super-imposed upon each other and shifted half the width of a single color panel from starting position and indicating the color of each panel on each of said disks and the colors produced by the overlapping of said panels.

Fig. 16 is a diagrammatic illustration of the control cam shaft of the invention and includes a wiring diagram of electrical controls. manipulated by the cams on said shaft to put said colored fountain repeatedly through its performance of a varied pattern each performance of which lasts six minutes.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the preferred embodiment of theinvention. illustrated therein comprises a fountain unit 29 which is preferably mounted in a, masonry fountain base 2| (Fig. 12) which is located in the center of a fountain pool 22 and which preferably has a control room 23 formed therein to which access is had by a suitable tunnel 24. The unit 29 is adapted to be supplied with water through a pipe 25, the outer end of which connects with the interior of a screen 26 submerged in the pool 22, the inner end of which pipe connects with a mo.- tor-driven valve 21 which in turn connects to a supply pipe 28 which extends upwardly through the base 2| and into a recess 29 formed in=the upper end of said base for receiving the unit 26. The room 23 also provides shelter for the master control mechanism 30 of the invention which has a master cam shaft 3! (Fig. 16)

The unit 20 includes a circular base having a concentric external recess 36 into which the flanged lower end of a circular housing 31 is secured by capscrews 38. The housing 3'! has .three door openings 39 formed therein near'its upper.

end, the metal of said housing being bent outwardly around each of said openings. to form a sealing flange 40 against which a rubber. gasket 4| provided around the outer edge-.of eachof a series of doors 42 is pressed when said doors are closed to seal said door openings from the outside atmosphere. Each of the doors 42 is mounted on hinges 43 (Fig. 2) and is held shut by capscrews 44 which extend through ears 45, provided on the opposite vertical edge of the door, and screwed into tapped holes provided therefor in the body of the housing 31.

Each of the doors 42 has a lamp mounting platform 55 secured on the inner face thereof, said platform being supported by a metal bracket 5| Welded to the inner face of said door.

The housing 37 is provided at its upper edge Witha flange 52 which is connected by capscrews 53 to the rim 54 of a housing top plate 55, the latter having a short neck 56 rising up axially therefrom, the upper end of said neck being externally threaded.

The doors 42 are equally spaced circumferentially about the axis of -the unit 20 and the top plate 55 provides three windows 51, which are symmetrical with radial planes passing through the middle of said doors (Fig. 1). Each of the windows 51- comprises a heavy, clear plastic or glass pane 58 which fits into a recess 59 formed in a sash 60 provided by a downward thickening of the top plate 55 about a window opening 6!. Each pane 58 is secured in place by a window rim 62 provided with packing material .63 and held down by screws 64.

Secured as by welding to the top rim 54 is an outwardly inclined light shield 59 which has one or more water drain spouts 70 (Figs. 2 and 9) for accomplishing the discharge of water falling within said shield.

Also provided in the housing 31 is a water pipe receiving neck ll onto. the threaded outer end. of which a liquid seal 12 is adapted to screw, the purpose of this being made clear hereinafter.

Mounted within the housing 31 so as to be parallel with base 35 and concentric therewith, is a cradle ring 13, the latter being supported by five T-section legs 14 welded to said base and said ring. The ring 13 has a cradle recess 75 formed. concentrically therein to receive a union ring 16 which serves, to unite and support an electric motor TI and a pump 18. The ring 16 is secured to the ring 13 by suitable bolts 19.

The motor H has a hollow shaft 80, and the hollow. shaft motor made by U. S. Motors Co. and identified in their catalogue as 3 H. P., Type SCU, is suitable for this, purpose. The shaft 80, is of special design and replaces the stock shaft supplied with this type-of motor, the shaft differing therefrom in being slightly larger at its lower end than the stock shaft and having upper and lower integral extensions which are 1 /2 in. O. D. The shaft 89 has an internalbore 8| which is preferably 1 in. in diameter and extends from one end of. the shaftto the other. The lower end of the bore 81 is flared (Fig. 11), for a reasonto be made clear hereinafter, while the upper end of shaft 80. is externally threaded (Fig. 5).

The union ring 16 has concentric upper and lower. annular recesses 85 and 8B, the former snugly fitting a complementary ring 8'! provided on the lower end of the motor. 1?, and the latter snugly fitting a complementary, ring 88 provided on theupper. end of a head casting 89 01? the pump 18. vThe'rings 15,18? and 88 are united by bolts 55. The casting '89 includes a head plate ill-which is connected with. the ring 88 by radial webs. 92-. The plateQlhas a dome 93 providing an. intake; chamber 94 which is concentric with the shaft 80 and has a counter-bore 95 at its lower end, the purpose of which will be made clear hereinafter. Formed integrally with the dome 93 is an intake pipe socket 96 which is internally threaded and aligned with the neck 12 in the housing 31 so as to threadedly receive a two-inch intake pipe I53 extended inwardly through the neck 12 into said housing. The seal ring 13 is adapted to be tightened up on the neck 12 to form a water-tight seal about the pipe I90 where this enters the housing 31.

The dome 93 has a concentric hole IBI for receiving the shaft 85 and provides a stufiing box I52 in which packing I03 forms a seal about said shaft when compressed by a packing gland I04 threadedly received by said box.

The plate 9| has a concentric, annular recess I95 formed in the lower, outer portion thereof which is adapted to receive the upper end of a pump bowl i 96, the plate 9I being secured to said bowl by capscrews I91.

Provided in the bowl I06 are water passages I63 which lead downwardly (Fig. 11) to the center of the bowl near the bottom thereof where these passages unite in a discharge vestibule I09. Provided in the central structure of the bowl I03 just above the vestibule I59 is a bore III] having a counter-bore I25 and into which are pressed, respectively, a metal bearing sleeve II 6 and a rubber bearing I11, said bearings rotatably centering the lower end of the shaft 85. Mounted on the shaft 85 within the upper portion of the bowl I55 is an impeller H8, a hub N9 of which is secured by a key I24 to the shaft 80. The impeller IIS has a neck I2I which fits rotatably into the counterbore 95 and the space between the upper end of said neck and the upper end of said counter-bore is occupied by a rubber seal ring I22.

The hub iii; and neck I2I of the impeller I18 are joined together by spirally disposed blades I23, the passages between which connect at their upper ends with an impeller throat I24 and at their lower, outer ends with the passages I58.

The normal direction of rotation of the shaft 36 is anti-clockwise and the blades I23 are pitched to be effective when the impeller I I9 is so rotated with the shaft to suck water downwardly from chamber 94 and discharge this through the passages I38 and upwardly through the bore 8| of the shaft 33.

The shaft 83 extends upwardly from the motor 11 through an externally threaded neck I24 provided on the frame of the motor. The motor is provided, just above the bottom ring 81 and just below the neck I24, with heavy duty ball bearings (not shown) in which the shaft 80 journals. The portion of shaft 85 disposed between said bearings is shaped identically the same as the stock hollow shaft ordinarily used in this motor and which is replaced by shaft 80. The shaft 89 is thus shaped, between said bearings, to receive and have fixed thereon the armature of the motor, the anti-clockwise rotation of which is imparted to shaft 80.

Mounted on the neck I24, and on the shaft 80 where this extends upwardly therefrom, is a light filter device 135. This includes upper and lower filter disks I3I and I32 and a gear mechanism I33, the latter being rotatable relative to a base I34 which screws onto the threaded neck I24 of the motor 11 and has a bore I35 in which the shaft 35 rotates with a close fit. The upper end of bore I35 has a counter-bore I36 in which is mounted a Victor (Type W) grease seal I31 for preventing a downward flow of grease along shaft 86. Extending radially from the upper end of base I34 is a base plate I38 which is united at its peripherby by capscrews I39 with a ring I40 to form a housing I4I to enclose the peripheral portion of a flat-disk worm gear I42 which rotates freely on the shaft 36 and has an annular wall I43 extending upwardly therefrom (Figs. 9 and 10).

The housing I4I is shaped to form a bearing at the plane of meeting of the plate I38 and ring I49 for a worn shaft I50 and to accommodate a Worm I5I fixed thereon which meshes with the worm gear I42. The shaft I50 is connected by a coupling I52 to the drive shaft I53 of a control motor I54 which is supported on a bracket I55 extending radially and downwardly from the base plate I38 (Fig. 10). The motor I54 is of the reversible, variable-speed type, the purpose of which characteristics will be made clear hereinafter. I

Fixed on the shaft 83 by a key I56 is a drive pinion gear I51. Fitted within the annular wall I43 and secured thereto by a pin I5 8 (Fig. 10) is an internal ring gear I59, the pitch diameter of which is exactly three times the pitch diameter of the pinion gear I51.

Rotatably mounted on the hub of the pinion gear I51 is a gear spider I65 from which a sleeve I66 extends upwardly the latter being externally threaded at its upper end and loosely surrounding the shaft 35. A shoulder I51 is provided at the juncture of the spider I65 and sleeve I53. The spider I65 includes a flat disk I69 into suitable vertical apertures in which are driven a set of three pivot pins I69 which are equally spaced circumferentially and extend downwardly therefrom and a series of three pivot pins I13 which extend upwardly from said plate and are interspersed between and circumferentially equi-distant from the pins I59. Freely rotatable on the pins I59 are three differential gears I1I which have the same itch diameter as the drive pinion I51 and mesh both with this pinion and with the internal ring gear I59.

Pivotally mounted on the pins I19 are three differential gears I12 which mesh with ring gear I59 and have pinions I13 formed integrally therewith and extending coaxially upward therefrom.

Rotatable on the sleeve I66 and resting on the shoulder I81 is a gear mount I14 having a radial plate I15 on the perimeter of which is provided a downwardly extending internal ring gear I16 the teeth of which mesh with the pinions I13.

The mount I14 has a sleeve I11 extending up wardly therefrom to provide a shoulder I18. The sleeve I11 rotatably fits the sleeve 56B and is externally threaded at its upper end to receive a cap I35 which encloses a resilient molded grease seal I86 for preventing the escape of lubricant upwardly from between the sleeves I36 and I11.

Resting on the shoulder I13 and extending downwardly in snug conformity with the wall I43 and into contact with the upper face of the gear M2 is a gear cover 18 8 an upper portion of the latter rotatably fitting the sleeve I11 and being provided with a cap I89 for enclosing a resilient molded grease seal I93 for preventing the escape of lubricant upwardly from between the sleeve I11 and gear cover I38.

Lower filter disk I31 includes an internally threaded hub I9I which is screwed onto the upper end of sleeve I55 (Fig. 9), the latter abutting against a shoulder I92 provided on said hub. The hub includes a circular flange I93 from which an externally threaded annular wall I94 extends upwardly. snugly received between this .wall and the shaft 38 is a stainless: steel doublesealed ball bearing I95 which is preferably v.of the M-R-C Synthe-Seal type.

Extending radially from the hub flange I93 of filter disk I3! are a series of panel mounting spokes I96 having an I-beam-shaped cross section. Uniting outer ends of the spokes I9Bis a filter disk rim I91 having an inwardly turned channel-shaped section. Mounted within the frames formed by the flange I93, spokes I96, and rim is! are nine segmental color panels I98 which may be formed of a stiff plastic such as Lucite or of glass, these panels .being arranged in three like series, each of which embraces a red panel, a blue panel and a yellow panel.

Hub flange $93 (Figs. an'd9) is provided with air holes I93 and a slot 280 the purpose of which will be made clear hereinafter.

Provided on the rim I91 at a point opposite'the end of slot 230 which is located closest to the axis of the hub :SI is a guide 205 whichextends outwardly, upwardly and inwardly over the periphery of the filter disk !32 .(Fig. 9) so as to prevent the vertical. separation of the two filter disks at this particular point. more than the normal spacing of these. Provided on the rim it? at a point diametrically opposite the guide 285 is a similar guide ZGBvJliich is adapted to span the rim of the upper filter disk I32 (Fig. 2) so as to prevent any change at this point in the vertical spacing between the two filter disks.

The slot 288 and guide 265 are preferably located at opposite ends of one of the spokes I96 (Fig. which is enlarged near its outer end to form a progressor arm pivot base having a plurality of vertical holes 288 disposed different distances from the rotative center of the filter disk. A screw 229 (Fig. 9) is adapted to be selectively extended upwardly through one of the holes 292 and screwed into the corresponding hole of a group of spaced threaded holes 2H! formed in the body 2| i of a filter progressor 2I2. Extending radially inwardly from the body 2 is a stiff wire arm 2I3, the inner end of which is bent to extend downwardly through the slot 200 and then inwardly underneath the flange I93 (Figs. 8 and 9). The inner end of arm 2 I3 is thus disposed in the path of the actuatingfinger I 8'I provided on the cap I65. Fixed at one end to the flange I93 and at its other-end to the arm 2I3 is a light coiled spring 2.

Formed on the outer end of the progressor body 2II is a pinch clutch 2I5 which lies within the guide 285 with its upper face. ZIB disposed very close to the lower face of the rim of the upper filter disk I32 where this passes through the guide 285. The pinch clutch 2I5 has a spring retaining hole 2 IT formed therein which inclines downwardly slightly from horizontal (Fig. 5) the left end of hole 2 Il terminating in a wall 2I8 and opening upwardly through face 2H3. A coiled spring 2 I9 is pressed into the hole 2 I I and a pinch ball 22% is compressed between the outer end of spring 2I'l and wall 2I8. When inserting the pinch clutch 2I5 between the rims of filter disks I3I and I32 in assembling these, the spring 2 I9 is further compressed by pressing the ball 226 downwardly along the hole 2I'I until the pinch clutch 2 I 5 is received between the two filter disks in the position in which this is shown in Figs. 5, 8, and 9. When so assembled with these disks,

of the screw 209 by moving the arm 2I3 from its full line'position shown in Fig. 8 to its dotted line position 22I shown therein, causes the pinch clutch 2I5 to grip the rim of the upper filter I32 and shift this circumferentially about threeeighths of an inch relative to the lower disk I3I. This distance may be varied between one-quarter and three-quarters of an inch by shifting pivot screw 209 to another pair of the holes 268 and 2H].

Screwed onto the externally threaded wall I94 of the filter disk hub I9I is a hub cap 225 which secures bearing I95 in place and has a sleeve 226 extending upwardly loosely around the shaft 88, a broad radial shoulder 221 being formed at the juncture between the cap 225 and the sleeve 226. Resting on the shoulder 22? is a friction ring 228. The upper end of sleeve 2% is counter-bored and threaded to receive a gland 229.

The filter disk 532 has a hub 230 which conforms'to the sleeve 226, shoulder 22?, and cap 225 so as to rotate on the concentric surfaces thereof, and the friction ring 228 is compressed between the hub 230 and the shoulder 227. by an expansion spring 23I which is coiled about the sleeve 226 between the gland 22? and the hub 239.-

Extending outwardly from the hub 236 is a circular flange 232 of the same diameter as flange E93 and-having vertical air holes 232 formed therein. Spokes 234 extend radially from the flange 232; These are joined together at their tips by a rim 235, said spokes, rim and flange of filter disk i32 being similarly shaped to corresponding elements of disk I3I so as to provide frames for and have differently colored light filter panels 23% which are identical in color and arrangement with the panels I38 of filter disk I31. That is, there are three like series of the panels 23% arranged circuniferentially in order around the filter 32 each of these series having panels colored red, blue and yellow, respectively.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 9, the upper end of the light filtering device I38 extends upwardly into the neckit provided concentrically on the housing top plate 55.

Mounted on the upper end of the shaft and on-the neck 56 and plate 55 is a controllable noz- Zle mechanism 256. This mechanism includes an internally threaded cap 2M which screws onto the upper end of neck 56 (Fig. 5), this cap having a central opening 242 which very loosely receives the hollowed shaft 80, and an annular concentric wall 243'which is internally threaded near its upper end'and divides the adjacent upper surface on the cap 2 into an annular internal shoulder 2 M and an annular external shoulder 245. Snugly received within the wall 243 and resting against the shoulder 242 is a doublesealed stainless steel ball bearing 2% which is preferably of the same type as the ball bearing I95. Screwed into the upper end of the wall 263 is the externally threaded end portion of a sleeve 24'! whereby an annular external shoulder 2&8 provided thereon is brought snugly against the upper end .of the wall 243. Provided in the sleeve 247 is a pair of vertical slots 249.

Surrounding the shaft 86 and spacing the inner race of bearing 2% from the inner race of a similar bearing 259, the outer race of which rests on the upper end of sleeve 2 3i, is a sleeve 25L The inner race of bearing 246 is supported by a split ring 252 which snaps in place into an annular groove 253 provided in the shaft 88. Surrounding the sleeve 24"! so as to be vertically slidable thereon and normally resting downwardly on the shoulder 248 is a tubular track cam 25!! having a roller track 2Bl formed on its upper edge. Pins 262 are driven into suitable holes provided therefor in the cam 250 so as to slidably extend into the vertical slots 249 in the sleeve 24'! and thus guide the cam 261] in its vertical movement. Also driven into suitable diametral holes provided in the cam 260 are headed pins 262 on which rollers 264 are pivotally mounted.

Resting on the shoulder 245 of the cap 2 3i and rotatable about the wall 243 and cam 266 is a control cam 265. This cam has an upper cam face 266 which includes two diametrically opposed low sections 261 and two diametrically opposed high sections 268. The rollers 254 ride on the cam face 266 so that rotation of the control cam 265 raises the track cam 26!} from the position in which it is shown in Figs. 5 and 6 to an elevated position in which it is shown in broken lines 216 in Fig. 5 when the rollers 2M ride on to the high cam face sections 268.

Provided just above the bearing 259 in the cam 260 are drain holes 21!. Similar holes 212 are provided in the members 243, 241 and 265 just above bearing 246 (Fig. 5).

The lower end of the cam 265 is provided with a master gear 215 having four switch kick-out cams 218 mounted on the upper face thereof, each of which is in vertical alignment with a midpoint of one of the cam face sections 261 and 288. Mounted on the plate 55 so that a portion thereof overlies the gear 215 is a control motor 211 having a gear driven pinion 218 which extends downwardly from said motor into meshing relation with the gear 215. A relay brake switch 219 (Fig. 16) is provided within the housing of the motor 211 this havin an arm 28!) (Fig. 5) which extends downwardly from said housing into the path of the cams 216 so that said switch is actuated by each of these cams as they travel into contact with said arm in the operation of the controllable nozzle mechanism 240, as will be made clear hereinafter.

Screwed downwardly onto the threaded upper end of th shaft 86 is the body 285 of a nozzle 286, said base having a bore 281 which is thus made to connect directly with the upper end of the bore 8| of the shaft 89. The bore 281 is counter-bored at its upper end to receive with a driven fit a thin sleeve 238 an upper portion 289 of which extends upwardly out of the body 285, said portion being expanded into semispherical form about a central point on a transverse axis 29! The body 2% has arms 29! which extend upwardly from opposite sides thereof, these arms being apertured on the axis 290 to receive short trunnion pins 292 pressed therein. snugly fitting between arms 29I and internally shaped to provide a semi-spherical chamber 293, which slidably fits the upper semi-spherical portion 289 of the sleeve 288, when rotated about axis 290, in a rockable nozzle member 296, the latter having a tapered discharge orifice 295 which communicates with the chamber 293 and extends therefrom to the upper end of said nozzle member.

Extending outwardly and downwardly from the nozzle member 293 is an arm 2% having a stainless steel double-sealed ball bearing cam follower roller 2Q1 mounted on its outer end.

Fixed to the nozzle base 285 on the opposite side thereof from the roller 291 is a leaf spring 298, this being secured at its lower endto said base by a plate 299 and screw 300. The upper end of spring 298 is bent inwardly so as to pressurably 10 contact an upper portion of the nozzle member 294 to rock this about the axis 290 and thus maintain the roller 291 always in contact with the cam track 26 I The nozzle member 29s is in vertical alignment with the axis of the shaft when the cam 260 is in its downwardmost position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 5. When the cam 265 is rotated by the motor 211 to bring the high sections 268 centered beneath the rollers 264, the cam track 26f is lifted to its broken line position 210 shown in Fig. 5 which lifts the roller 291 and rocks the nozzle member 294 about the axis 290 with a change in inclination of this member represented by the broken lines 38 l in this view.

Mounted on each of the platforms 5!], in the medial radial plane of the window 51 immediately thereabove, is a pair of lamp receptacles 302 in which are mounted a pair of lamps 363 which are preferably GE Mazda 400 watt fioodlights which have an operating life of 800 hours. Each table 50 also carries a bracket 304 on which is mounted a spun metal reflector 395 which substantially encloses the lamps 3B3 and has a cover 305 from which an opening 301 is cut (Figs. 1 and 9) which limits the light projected upwardly from the lamps 303 to that which falls within the pattern of opening 301 which approximately conforms to the segmental shape of the window 51 disposed thereabove.

The master cam shaft SI of the control mechanism to (Fig. 16) carries cams 3H], 3H, 312, 313 and 3M Which are fixed on said shaft so that fingers 3H5, one of which is provided on each of said cams, is electrically connected with shaft 3! which in turn is electrically connected to lead L2 of a pair of leads Li and L2 through which electricity is supplied for controlling the fountain unit 20. Suitable power means (not shown) are provided for continuously rotating shaft 31 at a uniform rate amounting to once for each performance period, which, in the routine to be described, lasts six minutes.

All the cams on shaft 3| rotate therewith and the fingers 3 l 5 always have corresponding angular positions about said shaft so that it can readily be determined, b an examination of the diagram of Fig. 16, as to just how the various mechanical elements of the unit 20 are caused to coact to produce a particular performance pattern.

Referring now to Fig. 16, it will be seen that a series of contacts 3H5 are disposed circumferentially about the cam 3H] to be contacted by the finger 3|5 thereof at various angular positions of said finger about the shaft 3!. Contacts 315 are connected by a conductor 3|! which connects to one end of a coil Sis of a l-pole magnetic switch 3l9 which connects the motor 211 with leads LI and L2 when it is actuated. As will be readily apparent, when said switch is actuated, it maintains itself closed, as long as holding switch 219 is closed. When the motor 211 is energized, it rotates the cam 285 a quarter of a revolution until one of the cams 216 engages the finger 280 so as to open the switch 219 thereby breaking the holding circuit of the coil M8 and causing the switch 3I9 to open, thereby ale-energizing the motor 211 and leaving the nozzl 286 in its new position caused by the quarter revolution imparted to control cam 265. Thus if the nozzle at the beginning of said quarter revolution was in straight up position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 5, it would, at the conclusion of said quarter revolution be inclined from vertical as indicated by broken lines Bill in this view. If on the other hand, the nozzle was inclined from vertical at the beginning of said quarter revolution, the latter would terminate with the nozzle pointed straight upwardly as shown in full lines in Fig. 5. Because of the automatic opening of the switch 219 at the conclusion of each quarter revolution of the cam 265 by the motor 211, this motor remains de-energized until another one of the contacts 3 I6 is engaged by the finger 3%?) of the cam 3H1 whereupon another quarter revolution will be imparted to the cam 255 and the nozzle 286 will be swung from the position it has at that time to the other of its two extreme positions.

The period of time consumed in efiecting such a nozzle shift may be varied by using different motor speeds and gear ratios, this period, in the six minute performance pattern to be described hereinafter, being ten seconds.

The cams 3H and 3! 2 control the operation of the motor I54 in its rotating the gear mech anism I33 so as to cause a rotation about the vertical axis of the fountainof the spiral illumination pattern appearing inthe fountain. This rotation is accomplished at varying speeds and either in a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction by the operation of cams 3H and (H2. The energizing of the motor I54 is accomplished through a reversing switch relay 320 which is connected by a conductor 32| to lead LI and through a conductor 322 to the center points in each of a series of variable resistance, elements 323, 32 i, 325 and 326, and which receive current from lead L2 through the finger 315 of cam 3H as this finger is rotated into successive contact with the turns of said variable resistance elements. When cam 3H rotates so that its finger Bit first engages the variable resistance element 323, the motor I54 is energized by a relatively low voltage causing it to rotate lowly and thus impart a fairly slow rotation to the gear mechanism I33 which causes a rotation of the color pattern in the fountain as will be made clear hereinafter.

As said finger 3E5 comes closer to the midpoint in its engagement with the resistance element 323, the amount of voltage transmitted to the motor I54 increases thereby increasing its speed and correspondingly increasing the speed of rotation of the color pattern in the fountain. As

said finger 315 moves away from the center of resistance element 323 while still contacting the same, the voltage delivered to motor Hid becomes gradually less with a resulting deceleration in the speed of rotation of the color pattern in the fountain.

The cam 3E2 is surrounded by a series of contacts 330 which are connected by a conductor 33i which connects with the relay 320 so that when the finger N5 of cam 3l2 engages any of contacts 33 it causes the relay 329 to be energized to reverse the direction of rotation of the motor i5 5, thereby reversing the direction that the color pattern in the fountain will be caused to rotate about the axis of the latter by the motor I54.

Cam 3l3 is surrounded by a series of contacts 332 connected by a conductor 333 which leads to one side of a magnetic switch coil 3361 which actuates a s-pole switch 335 controlling the energizing of motor 338 which is located in the control room 23 and is connected to the valve 21 to move the latter between open and closed positions with successive five second periods of rotation of said motor in the same direction. A holding switch 33 is provided to be actuated by the motor 336, as t completes each valve opening or valve closing cycle, so as to open the circuit of the coil 334 and de-energize the motor 336 and thus leave the valve 2? in the position to which it has been moved by the motor 336 in said cycle. The valve 27 is closed or opened gradually by the motor 336, either operation consuming ap proximately five seconds.

Cam 3M has a contact 358 which is connected by a conductor 3 H with a light switch relay 3t2 so that when contact 358 is engaged by finger SIB on cam 3M, relay 342 turn off the lamps 393 of the unit 20. Cam 3M also has a contact 343 connected by a conductor 344 to the relay 342, and contact with which, by the finger SIS of the cam 3H3, causes the relay 342 to turn on said lamps.

Operation By virtue of the fact that lower and upper filter disks i3! and 32 are alike insofar as their color panels W8 and 238 are concerned, these disks may be super-imposed so that each panel 598 of disk l3l has a panel 236 disposed directly thereabove which is of the same color as said panel 0 i953. When the disks l3! and I32 are so related and the motor ll is started so as to rotate the shaft 31] approximately 1200 R. P. M. in a counterclockwise direction, the gear mechanism 33 function to rotate the filter disks l3! and I32 400' R. P. M. and in the same direction. At the same time, the gear mechanism I33 rotates the sleeve ll? approximately 300 R. P. M. and in the same direction. This causes the inner end of the arm 2L3 to overtake th finger l8? provided on the sleeve Ill about times each minute so that finger It! swings the arm 2l3 each time it is so overtaken between the full line position of arm H3 and its dotted line position 22E shown in Fig. 8, after each of which actuations, the arm 2l3 is returned to itsfull line position by the spring 214. The pinch clutch 215 is thus caused to circumferentially shift the periphery of the disk I32 during each minute of operation a distance equal to 100 times the distance which it is so shifted by a single actuation of said pinch clutch.

As the disks l3i and 32 are preferably 28 inches in diameter, the peripheral length of each of the three like series of color panels of each disk is 29.4 inches. To extend a complete color cycle of the unit 26 to last one minute, the pinch clutch 225 is set to cause a progression of the upper disk relative to the lower disk of .3 inch for each acuation of the clutch. If it is desired for the color pattern to be completed in 30 seconds, the pinch clutch is adjusted so as to cause a progression of .6 inch per actuation. For the purpose of illustration, it will be assumed that the latter adjustment is in effect so that the performance of a complete color cycle in the unit 20 is completed each 30 seconds.

Assuming for the moment that this color cycle starts with the nozzle member 294 in its tilted broken line position 301 as shown in Fig. 5 and that the valve 2'! is in open position, water is thereby sucked upwardly from the fountain pool 22, through pipes 22,v 28 and IE9 by the pump l8 and delivered upwardly from this pump through the hollow shaft 8!] so as to be discharged from the nozzle 286 at an angle relative to the vertical axis of said nozzle, to produce a rapidly upward moving spiral stream of water 359 (Fig. 13)

Because of the continuous generation of stream 350 and the rapidity of its upward movement, the human eye is incapable of identifying the form of this stream as it is shown in Fig. 13. This, however, is how this stream would appear in a very rapid photographic exposure of the same. It is also to be noted that the stream 350 is shown in Fig. 13 as it appears with the nozzle 289 located at a precise point in the rotation thereof and that each time said nozzle returns in its rotation to said precise point, the spiral stream 35% will again appear exactly the same as it appears in Fig. 13. Each time the nozzle returns to the precise point in its rotation above mentioned and at which instant the spiral stream 350 appears as it is shown in Fig. 13, and assuming that panels of like colors in the disks I3I and I32 are exactly super-imposed as in the start of a color cycle, the three sets of lamps 393 disposed beneath the windows will be projecting their light upwardly through three sets of super-imposed panels of the same color.

Assuming that these panels are colored red, it will be apparent that all portions of the spiral stream 358 will be brilliantly illuminated with the color red at the precise instant in which it is illustrated in Fig. 13. As with each rotation of the nozzle 2%, the filter disks HI and I32 make exactly /a of a revolution, and as there are three like series of color panels provided on each of said two disks, the spiral stream 358 will be illuminated with the color red each time it is regenerated to appear as shown in Fig. 13.

By virtue of the fact that there are successive adjacent half turns A, B, C, D and E, for instance, of the spiral stream 358 in the same respective positions shown for these in Fig. 13 during each of the successive illuminations of the spiral stream with the color red, the observer will experience the illusion in viewing the fountain 35f (Fig. 14) that the series of areas 3-52, fixed in space, which are repeatedly occupied by these successively generated half turns, are constantly illuminated with the color red.

The same phenomenon is repeated by the illumination of the stream 358 by the color blue at the moment when the nozzle has turned of a revolution from the precise position it was in at the instant illustrated in Fig. 13. Here, each of the turns A, B, C, D and E will have moved upwardly /3 of the distance intervening between that particular turn and the turn shown in Fig. 13 as next thereabove. Turns A, B, C, D and E, therefore, as regenerated by repeated rotations of nozzle 286, will be located successively and repeatedly in areas 353 as shown in Fig. 14 at the moments during which the spiral stream 35s is illuminated by the color blue, which areas will thus present to the observer the appearance of being constantly illuminated with a brilliant blue color.

In a similar manner, when the nozzle 285 has rotated /3 of a revolution from the position corresponding to the appearance of the spiral stream 358 shown in Fig. 13, each of the half turns, A, B, C, D and E will have advanced upwardly of the distance between that turn and the turn immediately thereabove and at that instant the spiral stream 358 will be illuminated yellow by the yellow panels of both filter disks being superimposed in the areas of the windows 5'! so that the repeated illumination of the spiral stream 350 with the color yellow, with said half turns positioned uniformly in areas 354 of the fountain 35 I will produce the illusion of areas 356 of the fountain being stationary and constantly illuminated yellow.

The coloration of the fountain 35I just described and illustrated in Fig. 14 lasts for approximately five seconds of a 30 second color cycle. Fig. 15 shows the filter disks in the relative positions they have at the end of said 5 seconds, in which the upper filter disk has been advanced /2 the angle of a single panel so that each panel of the upper disk equally overlaps a correspondingly colored panel of the lower disk and the differently colored panel immediately in advance thereof. Thus each of the red panels 236 shown in Fig. 15 overlaps half of the red panel I98 therebeneath and half of the yellow panel therebeneath and just in advance of said red panel I98.

In Fig. 15 the legends in the circle 3611 indicate the colors of panels 236 and the legends in circle 3M represent the colors in panels I98. The legends in are 362 indicate the colors produced by overlapping portions of panels I98 and 236 with the filter disks I'3I and I32 positioned as shown in this view which, as above mentioned, occurs approximately 5 seconds after the start of a 30 second color cycle. As will be noted in Fig. 15, the overlapping of color panels of different colors thus produced, practically has the effect of cutting the size of the color panels in half and multiplying the number of colors projected on the spiral stream 35!] by two and also cutting the time period of illumination by each color in half. The result of this is to modify the color scheme shown in Fig. 14 by producing twice as many spiral colored bands in the fountain and some tendency of the colors to meld toward the upper end of the fountain by virtue of the fact that the vertical width of the turns of the spiral stream in the upper portion of the fountain are substantially wider and closer together than theturns in the lower portion thereof, thereby rendering the pattern somewhat less distinct in the upper portion of the fountain than it is in the lower portion thereof.

The pattern produced in the fountain with the filter disks positioned as shown in Fig. 15 is thus seen to include the colors red, purple, blue, green, yellow and orange in the order named and reading upwardly with respect to the axis of the fountain.

At the end of the first 10 seconds of a 30 second color cycle the blue filter panels 236 completely overlie the red filter panels I98; the yellow filter panels 236 completely overlie the blue filter panels I98; and the red filter panels 236 completely overlie the yellow filter panels i558. It will thus be seen that the filter disks I3! and I32 combine when so related as to present three like series of three color panels each, the colors displayed in each of said series being purple, green and orange. While the disks are so disposed the areas 352 of the fountain (Fig. 14) will be colored purple the areas 353 will be colored green and the areas 35 will be colored orange.

At the end of 15 seconds of a 30 second color cycle the red panels 238 will be equally overlapping the yellow and blue panels I98 with corresponding overlapping by the other panels 236 of the other panels I98 with a result that a 6 color pattern will be projected on the fountain 35!, reading from the bottom upwardly: purple, orange, green, purple, orange, green. At the end of 20 seconds of a 30 second color cycle the yellow panels 236 will entirely overlie the red panels I93 with the other panels 236 correspondingly overlying the other panels I98 to produce a three color pattern reading from the bottom upwardly: orange, purple, and green.

At the end of 25 seconds of a 30 second color cycle, the yellow panels 256 will equally overlap the dividing lines between thered and yellow panels 88 with corresponding overlapping of the border lines between the other panels as by the other panels 236 so as to produce a color pattern with colors reading upwardly on the fountain 35E as follows: orange, red, purple, blue, green and yellow.

As the 30 second color cycle closes, the panels 23% return to positions overlying like-colored panels I98 so as to give a color pattern, reading upwardly, red, blue and yellow.

The various contacts and variable resistance units associated with the cams on shaft 3! (Fig. 16) are adjustably disposed circumferentially relative to said shaft so these can be located to be contacted by the fingers 3115 at any desired point in a given performance cycle. As shown in Fig. 16, these elements have been adjusted circumferentially with reference to shaft 3! so as to cause the fountain unit at to accomplish a 6 minute performance cycle during each revolution of the shaft 3|. This performance cycle may be described as follows:

Sir Minute Routine .7 ct starts rising in column form (water turned on). Reaches full height (remains in column form 15 sec.). Starts to fan out.

Reaches fanned out extreme (stays full color cycle). Starts to return to column form.

Reaches column form.

Starts to fan out, spirals rotating clockwise. Reaches fanned out extreme (stays one color cycle). Starts to return to column form.

Reaches column form.

Starts to fan out (spirals rotate anti-clockwise). Reaches fanned out ertreine (stays one color cycle). Starts to return to column form.

Reaches column form.

Starts to recede gradually (water turned oil). Disappears (lights turned oil).

.7 ct starts rising in column form (dark).

Beaches full height (dark).

Starts fanning out (dark).

Reaches fanned out form (turn lights on).

Jet starts to recede (water turned ofi).

Jot disappears.

.T ct starts to rise in fanned form (spiral clockwise). .Tet starts to recedc in fanned form.

J ct disappears.

J ct starts to rise in fanned form (spiral anti-clockwise). Reaches full height.

Starts to recede in fanned form.

Disappears.

Jet starts to rise in column form.

It is, of course, clear that the above routine is suggested merely by way of example and that the electrical control mechanism 38 is subject to adjustment to produce a wide variety of routines in the performance of the fountain unit 29.

The six minute routine above outlined begins with the shaft 31 (Fig. 16) of the master control mechanism to (Fig. 12) and the cam fingers 3l5, carried thereon, positioned as shown in Fig. 16. Shaft 31 is rotating in a counter-clockwise direction at the rate of one revolution in six minutes.

The nozzle 236 is at this moment pointed straight up as shown in Fig. 5. The motor 'l'l is rotating shaft so in a counter-clockwise direction at approximately 1200 R. P. M. causing the nozzle 28% and the pump impeller H8 fixed thereon to rotate therewith. This results in the pump 18' sucking water upwardly from the fountain pool 22 through the screen 26, pipe 25, motor controlled valve 27 (just turned on) and pipe 28, and discharging this water upward through the shaft 89 and out of the nozzle 286 to form a pencillike column 350 varying from twenty-five to forty feet in height and from three-quarters of an inch to one inch in diameter.

This column reaches its full height in five seconds and remains in column form for fifteen seconds, at the end of which, finger 355 of cam 3H3 engages the first of contacts 3l6 thereby energizing motor 217 which slowly rotates cam 265 a quarter turn. This causes column to be gradually fanned out by inclination of the nozzle 288 to form a spiral stream whereby the spiral stream 356 is produced when, at the end of ten seconds, the nozzle 236 reaches its maximum inclination.

The lamps 303 are energized when the cycle starts and the colored light filter discs l3; and 32 are constantly rotated counter-clockwise throughout the cycle at 4.06 R. P. M. with disc I52 being constantly advanced by the pinch clutch 2 l 5 to cause the fountain 35E to go through a complete color cycle pattern each thirty seconds.

Thus the fountain is colored while the vertical column 358 is fanning out as well as when the fountain is later returning to column form.

The clockwise rotation of the colored. spirals 352, 353 and 35! starts at 1:20 when the column 360 begins to fan out the second time and is caused by the finger 3|5 of cam 3H contacting variable resistance element 323. This energizes motor l5! to rotate worm gear hi2 first very slowly and then at an increasing rate in a clockwise direction as the contact with the resistance element 323 approaches its midpoint where this element connects with conductor 322. From this point on to where contact with this element is broken off, the rotation of gear I42 gradually decreases in speed causing a corresponding decrease in the speed of rotation of the spiral color bands 352, 353 and 354 about the vertical axis of the fountain 35L The manner in which subsequent pattern changes included in the above outlined six minute routine are accomplished by the master control mechanism 30, will be made readily manifest by reference to the detailed description of said mechanism and to Fig. 16 illustrating the same.

What is claimed is:

1. In a colored fountain, the combination of: a hollow shaft; means for mounting said shaft for rotation about a vertical axis; a nozzle mounted on the upper end of said shaft, said nozzle being shaped to discharge a substantial stream of Water upwardly therefrom at an angle relative to said axis; a light filter disk mounted beneath said nozzle for rotation about the axis of said shaft; a light source disposed beneath said disk and positioned to direct light upwardly through said disk, said filter disk including a series of segmental panels of distinctive colors; means for delivering water under pressure to said shaft and through said shaft to said nozzle; means for very rapidly rotating said shaft to cause water discharged from said nozzle to form a spiral stream rising upwardly from said nozzle and embodying a vertically spaced series of distinct successive turns; and means operable by said power means for rotating said filter disk in timed relation with the rotation of said shaft to present said segmental colored panels of said dill: to said light source to illuminate said spiral stream during each of the successive revolutions of said nozzle with a given uniform sequence of rapid flashes of differently colored light, thereby creating in the observer the illusion of viewing simultaneously a series of approximately stationary intertwined differently colored spirals, each corresponding approximately in shape to the rapidly moving spiral stream of water actually discharged by said nozzle.

2. In a colored fountain, the combination of: a nozzle rotatable about a vertical axis and adapted to discharge a stream of water upwardly at an angle relative to said axis; a light filter disk mounted for rotation coaxially with said nozzle, said filter disk including a series of segmental panels of different colors; a light source disposed beneath said disk and shining upwardly successively through said panels as said disk is rotated; and means to rotate said nozzle and said disk in timed relation, the rotation of said nozzle producing an upwardly travelling spiral stream, including an endlessly generated series of complete superimposed successive turns, the light passing upwardly through said disk and illuminating said rising spiral stream with a repeated pattern of successive rapid flashes of successively different colored lights in timed relation with the generation of said stream so that each repetition of the illumination of said stream with a flash of each given color finds the turns of said stream disposed approximately in a corresponding series of spaced areas fixed in superimposed relation in space, thereby creating in the observer the illusion of viewing simultaneously a series of approximately stationary intertwined differently colored spirals, each corresponding approximately in shape to the rapidly moving spiral stream of water actually discharged by said nozzle means.

3. In a colored fountain the combination of: a nozzle mounted for rotation on a vertical axis for discharging water delivered thereto in a rising spiral stream; means for illuminating said stream substantially uniformly during each rotation of said nozzle with arepeated pattern of successive rapid flashes of successively diiferent colored lights, thereby creating in the observer the illusion of viewing simultaneously a series of approximately stationary intertwined differently colored spirals each corresponding in shape to the rapidly moving spiral stream of water discharged by said nozzle; and means operable while said nozzle is rotating to vary the angle relative to said axis at which water is discharged from said nozzle thereby varying the width of said spiral stream and correspondingly varying the illusion aforesaid.

4. In a colored fountain, the combination of: a nozzle mounted for rotation about a vertical axis, said nozzle delivering a unitary stream of water upwardly, and being shiftable between a position in which said stream travels straight upwardly along said axis and a position in which said stream travels outwardly and upwardly at an angle relative to said axis; means for rotating said nozzle with the latter positioned to discharge said stream of water straight up along said axis; means for illuminating said rising stream of water substantially uniformly during each rotation of said nozzle with a repeated pattern of successive rapid flashes of successively different colored lights; and means operable while said nozzle is rotating to change the position of said nozzle with reference to said axis whereby the stream of water discharged from said nozzle is discharged at an angle relative to said axis thereby producing an upwardly rising spiral stream of water successive turns of which rise in timed relation with said repeated pattern of rapid flashes of successively difierent colored lights so that each repetition of the illumination of said stream with a flash of each given color finds the turns of said stream disposed approximately in a corresponding series of spaced areas fixed in space, thereby creating in the observer the illusion of viewing simultaneously a series of approximately stationary intertwined differently colored spirals, each corresponding approximately in shape to the rapidly moving spiral stream of water actually discharged by said nozzle means.

5. A combination as in claim 4 in which said means for shifting the position of said nozzle relative to said axis to cause the stream of water discharged thereby to first extend along said axis and subsequently take the form of a rising spiral stream, is operative, while said nozzle is still rotating, to reverse the change in the position of said nozzle so as to return the latter to a position in which water is discharged straight upwardly therefrom along said axis.

6. A combination of: an electric motor mounted on a vertical axis; a hollow shaft extending axially through said motor and rotated thereby; a pump provided on the lower end of said hollow shaft where it extends downwardly from said motor said pump including an impeller mounted on said shaft and driven thereby, said pump enclosing the lower end of said shaft to form a discharge basin into which water passing through said pump is discharged and from which said water flows upwardly through said shaft; a nozzle mounted on the upper end of said shaft to discharge said water at an angle relative to said axis to produce a rising spiral stream; and means driven by said shaft for illuminating said rising spiral stream substantially uniformly during each rotation of said nozzle with a repeated pattern of successive rapid flashes of successively diiferent colored lights, thereby creating in the observer the illusion of viewing simultaneously a series of approximately stationary intertwined difierently colored spirals each corresponding in shape to the rapidly moving spiral stream of water actually discharged by said nozzle means.

7. A combination as in claim 2 in which means is provided for modifying the timed relation with which said nozzle and said disk are rotated, said means being operative during said rotation to render the rotation of said nozzle and said disk slightly out of phase, thereby creating in the observer the illusion of a palpable rotation of said differently colored spirals about the axis of rotation of said nozzle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,255,711 Crane Feb. 5, 1918 2,537,048 Giblet Jan. 9, 1951 2,537,310 Lapp Jan. 9, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 482,826 Germany Mar. 13, 1925 

